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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. file — a line of people
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fine — high quality
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. face — to point toward
  13. file — a tool
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. file — a document
  16. face — to confront
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bass — low music
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fine — all right
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. face — part of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com